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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (BFMG) — A tragic incident at a Walmart in Halifax has left a community grieving after the charred body of a 19-year-old employee was found inside a bakery oven, raising questions about workplace safety and procedures.
The victim, Gursimran Kaur, and her mother, who both worked at the Walmart on Mumford Road in Halifax, had emigrated from India to Canada two to three years ago in pursuit of a better life. They had been working at the store for about two years when, on Saturday, Kaur went missing during her shift. Kaur’s mother, unable to locate her daughter on the store floor for over an hour, began searching and asking colleagues about her daughter’s whereabouts.
Attempts to contact Kaur over the phone were unsuccessful, as her mother’s calls went unanswered. This is when Kaur’s mother became increasingly anxious, as it was unusual for her daughter to have her phone turned off during the day. Concern grew when another employee noticed what appeared to be a “leakage” coming from the walk-in oven as reported by The Sun. Kaur’s mother opened the oven, only to make the devastating discovery of her daughter’s remains inside. How Kaur became trapped in the industrial oven, which cannot be locked from the outside, remains unclear.
Halifax Regional Police have yet to confirm the cause of death, and an investigation is ongoing. A dispatch call to first responders revealed that they were responding to an incident where “a female was locked in an oven in the bakery.” The dispatch officer warned responders that the “oven is on” and noted it was unclear whether staff had been able to turn it off.
A spokesperson for Walmart expressed sorrow over the incident, saying, “We are heartbroken, and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. We extend our sincerest condolences to those who were closest to them.” The company has since closed the store and is providing its employees with virtual care options and on-site grief counseling services. Walmart confirmed that employees scheduled to work this week would still receive their pay, despite the store’s closure.
As part of their mourning, the Halifax Sikh community has been raising funds through a GoFundMe organized by the Maritime Sikh Society to support Kaur’s family. With over $140,000 raised in just two days, the funds are intended to help bring Kaur’s father and brother, who are still in India, to Halifax for a planned religious ceremony once her remains are released by the medical examiner.
The outpouring of support has highlighted Kaur’s impact on those who knew her. She is remembered as a “beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams,” said one commenter on the fundraiser. Meanwhile, flowers and tributes have been left outside the closed Walmart location, where community members have gathered to honor her memory.
The Halifax Regional Police and Walmart officials have pledged full cooperation in uncovering the details surrounding Kaur’s death. Until then, the store will remain closed, and the Halifax community will continue to mourn the loss of a young life taken too soon.
